Chief Change & Transformation Leader
Driving complex transformations in large, regulated organizations with clarity and measurable impact.
My Expertise
With over a decade of experience, I specialize in leading complex initiatives that deliver tangible results.
Cloud Transformation
Leading enterprise-wide cloud migrations with compliance and regulatory alignment across multiple business units.
Change Leadership
Driving strategic change initiatives with a focus on people, process, and technology alignment.
Program Management
Managing complex, high-stakes initiatives across banking, manufacturing, and IT services with measurable outcomes.
My Approach
How I work with clients and teams to deliver exceptional results
Collaborative Leadership
I believe in working closely with stakeholders at all levels, ensuring everyone's voice is heard and aligned with project goals.
Pragmatic Problem-Solving
I focus on practical solutions that deliver real business value, cutting through complexity to find the most effective path forward.
Structured Delivery
I implement clear frameworks and governance that bring predictability to even the most challenging projects.
Professional Journey
My career spans multiple industries and roles, always focused on delivering tangible results.
Centric IT Solutions
May 2023 – PresentBusiness Development Manager with Strategic Change Delivery Focus
Led commercial transformation of the Lithuania office, introducing a structured delivery model and building a new product line. Member of the company leadership team, reporting directly to the CEO.
- Led strategic shift from internal service center to commercial delivery unit, increasing client-facing project volume by 40%.
- Built customer-facing delivery organization from the ground up, managing a team of 4 consultants.
- Introduced scalable onboarding and delivery processes, reducing time-to-value by 30%.
- Initiated a new product for an emerging market, coordinating with executive stakeholders on go-to-market and internal alignment.
Danske Bank Group
June 2018 – May 2023Head of Public Cloud Strategy & Compliance (Sept 2022 – May 2023)
Owned and led the cloud transformation strategy and associated organizational change across the bank. Reported to the Chief Technology Officer and liaised with CISO, Risk, and Compliance leaders.
- Led enterprise-wide change initiative to enable public cloud adoption, engaging 4500 employees across multiple countries.
- Identified organizational blockers and implemented resolution plans, resulting in accelerated cloud onboarding across 5 business units.
- Drove cultural and process change to meet regulatory compliance, reducing audit findings by 60%.
- Negotiated private pricing and strategic alignment with AWS, aligning infrastructure goals with business targets.
Multi-Cloud Product Owner (Sept 2020 – Sept 2022)
Managed the change and product roadmap for public cloud implementation. Acted as the bridge between engineering teams and senior business stakeholders, including CIO and Enterprise Architecture leaders.
- Co-authored Danske Bank's public cloud strategy and future-state operating model.
- Delivered regulatory approval and data outsourcing clearance across Nordic regulators.
- Led design of developer-centric cloud platform, improving developer productivity by 25% through streamlined change processes.
Senior Project Manager (June 2018 – Sept 2020)
Led major digital workplace transformation initiatives across the bank, with a focus on experience, adoption, and compliance.
- Microsoft Office 365 Rollout: Enabled secure, cloud-first collaboration for 20,000+ employees across the Nordics.
- Digital Mobile Experience: Implemented secure mobile program across 7 countries, enhancing flexibility and remote readiness.
- Cybersecurity Culture Shift: Created internal IT security engagement program, later scaled bank-wide due to strong employee feedback.
Previous Experience
Barclays Group Operations Ltd (May 2015 – June 2018)
Program Manager, Infrastructure Resilience & Regulatory Change: Managed global programs in response to regulatory audits and operational risk incidents.
- PRA Internal Controls Program: Remediated risks across 122 critical services, aligning infrastructure governance with regulatory mandates. Program value: £10M.
- Post-Incident Recovery Program: Drove post-incident transformation after a major outage; improved response planning and monitoring across 3 global regions.
- Toolset Transformation: Replaced 15+ legacy tools with modern solutions, improving service reliability and audit traceability.
- Founding member of Rise Vilnius—led fintech partnership efforts between Barclays and local startups.
IKEA Industry (Oct 2011 – May 2015)
Project Manager: Delivered logistics and manufacturing optimization projects across multiple plants. Managed contractors and internal change teams, contributing to a 15% cost reduction in targeted areas.
ENEKA (Aug 2008 – Oct 2010)
Project Manager: Delivered technical infrastructure projects across municipal and private clients. Coordinated up to 30 personnel on-site and ensured compliance with national environmental regulations.
What Colleagues Say
Feedback from professionals who have worked with me on various projects.
Donatas has a natural ability to connect technical strategy with real-world business needs. He was instrumental in shaping our cloud vision, getting buy-in from senior stakeholders, and navigating a complex regulatory landscape. What stood out to me most was how he took ownership of change—he didn’t just talk strategy, he made things happen.
Stasys Mikelionis
Head of Technology Integration & Architecture, Danske Bank
Donatas is very knowledgeable, hard working and willing to do all he can to ensure that the programme delivers its targets. He is willing to go above and beyond to assist and able to hold conversations at both the Technical and Business levels with ease.
Rob Cooke
Global Head of Hosting Service Delivery Resilience, Barclays
Donatas brought structure and focus to a complex set of digital initiatives. He led the Microsoft 365 rollout and mobile workplace program with clear direction and strong coordination. His work helped us move faster, stay aligned, and improve the employee experience across the bank.
Liudas Gulbinas
Head of End User Services, Danske Bank
Donatas is a proactive and solution-oriented professional who works well both independently and as part of a team. His strong communication skills, ability to adapt, and strategic thinking made him a valuable asset to our organization.
Dainius Aksinavicius
Managing Director, Centric IT Solutions
About Me
I'm an experienced change leader with 15+ years of driving complex transformations in large, regulated organizations. I've helped global companies like Danske Bank, Barclays, and IKEA navigate change—from cloud adoption and infrastructure overhauls to rethinking how their people work.
Whether building a change strategy, leading a multi-year program, or aligning business and IT, I focus on making change stick. I bring together people, process, and technology—helping teams move through uncertainty with clarity and speed.
Trusted by executive leadership to lead high-stakes transformation, I specialize in aligning strategy, structure, and culture to enable sustainable change. I lead with a steady hand, a clear plan, and strong stakeholder engagement—always focused on measurable impact.
I'm curious by nature and always looking to learn. I like to stay close to the tech, experiment with new tools, and explore how emerging technologies—especially AI—can help businesses move faster and smarter.
Skills & Expertise
Leadership
- Program & Portfolio Management
- Change Strategy & Execution
- Operating Model Redesign
- Stakeholder Engagement (CxO Level)
- Cross-Functional Leadership
Technical
- Public Cloud Adoption
- AWS Cloud
- Automation
- AI
- Data Management
Methodologies
- Agile Delivery
- Risk & Compliance Governance
- Product Management
- Rapid Software Prototyping
Languages
Lithuanian
Native
English
Fluent
German
Basic
Russian
Intermediate
Let's Work Together
Whether you need help with a complex transformation program, cloud migration, or project turnaround, I'm ready to bring my expertise to your organization.
donatas.bagdonas@hotmail.com
Kaunas, Lithuania
+37068624878